Scan barcode
leona's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was unique and interesting take on your traditional fantasy story, with the whole novel being told in the form of a memoir in hindsight. The setting is a Victorian-esque fantasy, with our main character being a young woman who is fighting to make her way as a naturalist - but one who studies dragons. As such, the book feels like a scientific study or autobiography, but also tackles the social aspect of what it is like to be a pioneering woman in a field that doesn't want her. It is a fascinating blend of literary / feminist fiction with some fantasy elements.
The general story was somewhat interesting, however I am glad the book was only short as the expedition and mystery wasn't my favourite. I found the beginning much more exciting, as well as the hints of social commentary and the relationship between Isabella and her husband. I enjoyed Isabella as the main character for the most part because I believe she can represent many women even in our 'modern' society, especially those (similarly) in STEM fields such as mathematics, physics or computer science - which are often disproportionately represented by men. I found some of her comments particularly wholesome, witty and at times inspirational or heartbreaking. Some reminded me of the concept of 'female rage' and the anger that can come from having to fight to be accepted. I did truly enjoy her character.
Despite this, I could also understand if people were to dislike her. She comes from a place of relative privilege, which ultimately makes her 'quest' somewhat easier, she has a supportive relationship and is somewhat wealthy. This makes her somewhat frustrating when she is interacting with the characters in the village in which they were staying, (such as Dagmira). She often seems unnecessarily critical or rude, for no other reason than that she was 'frustrated with the language'. I feel this made it difficult for me to fully connect with her character.
The plot itself was relatively interesting and the more scientific approach to looking at dragons was something that is rarely seen. But damn, that scene where they shoot the dragon and completely dismember it was slightly... I'm not sure what to make of it actually! :O I found myself relating to Isabella's curiosity. However, I also feel like not much actually happened,(which may be the case considering it is a rather short book). The mystery and reveals at the end were satisfying but I also didn't feel like I cared that much.
An aspect I did enjoy was the beautiful relationship of Isabella and Jacob. Honestly one of the cutest and most wholesome relationships I think I have read about; one that reflects what I hope any of my relationships may look like. They are friends first and foremost, and support each other through many difficult situations. Isabella does suffer in this book, her miscarriage was a very emotional section that further emphasised the pain of being a woman, especially at a time when motherhood is so deeply tied to a woman's worth / purpose. Isabella faces rumors and abuse because of this heartbreaking event, only making it even more emotional. On top of that, Jacob's death at the end genuinely broke me. THE MAN DESERVED BETTER!!! WHY CRUEL WORLD??? THEN SHE WAS PREGNANT AGAIN??? AAAAAH!!!
But then, I feel like the way this book is written sucks some of the emotion out of the story. Young Isabella was someone I could connect too, but the older Isabella narrating the story felt rather unexpressive when it came to these major events. I would have liked to see events such as Isabella's miscarriage, Jacob's death, and her later pregnancy, be given some time to explore these sections with greater depth and emotion. At times it felt somewhat sterile or coldhearted.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this story, particularly the character work and emotional sections. I'm not sure if I will continue with the series, however I will be rating this installment 3.5 stars.
The general story was somewhat interesting, however I am glad the book was only short as the expedition and mystery wasn't my favourite. I found the beginning much more exciting, as well as the hints of social commentary and the relationship between
Despite this, I could also understand if people were to dislike her. She comes from a place of relative privilege, which ultimately makes her 'quest' somewhat easier, she has a supportive relationship and is somewhat wealthy. This makes her somewhat frustrating when she is interacting with the characters in the village in which they were staying, (such as Dagmira). She often seems unnecessarily critical or rude, for no other reason than that she was 'frustrated with the language'. I feel this made it difficult for me to fully connect with her character.
The plot itself was relatively interesting and the more scientific approach to looking at dragons was something that is rarely seen.
An aspect I did enjoy was the beautiful relationship
But then, I feel like the way this book is written sucks some of the emotion out of the story. Young Isabella was someone I could connect too, but the older Isabella narrating the story felt rather unexpressive when it came to these major events. I would have liked to see events such as Isabella's miscarriage, Jacob's death, and her later pregnancy, be given some time to explore these sections with greater depth and emotion. At times it felt somewhat sterile or coldhearted.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this story, particularly the character work and emotional sections. I'm not sure if I will continue with the series, however I will be rating this installment 3.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Miscarriage
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexism
ayhuz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
Minor: Rape
sevensableyes's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Love, love, love.
I knew when I first heard the premise of this series, that I would adore it. And I do. Isabella is fast becoming one of my favourite protagonists, along side Keladry (Protector of the Small series). This book made me feel very nostalgic for my dragon/dinosaurs phase. Isabella's passion is infectious.
The worldbuilding feels very natural, and is fairly easy to keep up with. I think it's because the world will slowly unravel throughout the books, following Isabella's adventures into different parts of the world. I really like how there is no magic system; it's just dragons. It makes them feel like real and vulnerable animals. I'm looking forward to seeing more species.
I loved all of the characters. I liked thatJacob was a good husband; it would have been very easy to write him as dismissive of Isabella's passions, but he was truly lovely . I'm fairly certain Isabella and Mr Wilker will become closer in the future (not romantically) .
This book ticked all the boxes for me, and hopefully the rest of the series does too.
I knew when I first heard the premise of this series, that I would adore it. And I do. Isabella is fast becoming one of my favourite protagonists, along side Keladry (Protector of the Small series). This book made me feel very nostalgic for my dragon/dinosaurs phase. Isabella's passion is infectious.
The worldbuilding feels very natural, and is fairly easy to keep up with. I think it's because the world will slowly unravel throughout the books, following Isabella's adventures into different parts of the world. I really like how there is no magic system; it's just dragons. It makes them feel like real and vulnerable animals. I'm looking forward to seeing more species.
I loved all of the characters. I liked that
This book ticked all the boxes for me, and hopefully the rest of the series does too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Death, Grief, Animal death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Pregnancy
Regarding the kidnapping,featherinthewind's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
A magnificent read about dragons and history that had an underlying note of love. I really did enjoy this book but boy was I not expecting that ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Kidnapping, Sexism, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
novella42's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed the angle of writing a 19-yr old character from the vantage of an older woman publishing her devil-may-care memoir. Perhaps because of that, I liked the protagonist more than I expected. One of my favorite parts of the story was Kate Reading's performance as audiobook narrator, as she was a phenomenal fit for pretty much every character. The voices, emotion, and nuance she brought to the story gave it a rich texture that I would have missed if I was simply reading the text. (I'm familiar with her work in Sanderson's Way of Kings and was impressed how much more her voice seemed to come alive with this story. Maybe she really resonated with this story in particular?) The scientific mindset and world building were excellent, and it's always lovely to have more examples of women in STEM fields, even in the fantasy genre. I took away a star because unfortunately I'm not very into mysteries and the book's pacing was slow for me. I almost didn't get the audiobook finished before the library reclaimed it, but I also enjoyed dipping in and out of it for a few weeks. Not every story calls for a fast pace, and this one was well told.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Violence, Xenophobia, Death, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Gore, Gun violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Classism, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
green_amaryllis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Animal death
Minor: Pregnancy
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
maelikesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Such a lovely, gripping book.
The story itself is fun and intriguing, but the protagonist Lady Trent is so easy to root for that it makes this book a delightful experience. I loved the way her youthful nativity, enthusiasm and passion as a young woman contrast with the self-awareness and sense of humour of her older self as she narrates the story.
Great springtime read, can’t wait to pick up the sequels.
The story itself is fun and intriguing, but the protagonist Lady Trent is so easy to root for that it makes this book a delightful experience. I loved the way her youthful nativity, enthusiasm and passion as a young woman contrast with the self-awareness and sense of humour of her older self as she narrates the story.
Great springtime read, can’t wait to pick up the sequels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Misogyny and Animal cruelty
Minor: Body horror, Gore, Murder, and Pregnancy
rozmaran's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I enjoyed this read, but it wasn't a great book. I loved Jacob and Isabela, both as characters and as a couple. I liked that Isabela managed to be feminist without feeling like she didn't belong in her world. I understand the choice of style but i personally think it made the book worse. I felt that the author explained too much. And Isabela as the narrator explained herself too much.
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
More...